Opinion: Why former Manchester United youngster is clear Blackpool play of the season - with no one else coming close

Opinion: There’s not really a competition when it comes to Blackpool’s player of the season - it’s Ashley Fletcher and no one else comes close.

It’s been a period of the club’s history where there’s not been too much to shout about since being relegated from the Championship in 2023.

There’s been a few bright sparks in the last three seasons, but nothing that’s going to make the history books.

If the current campaign’s relegation battle had gone a different way, then that is something that would’ve been remembered - for all of the wrong reasons.

A big factor behind the Seasiders’ survival is Fletcher, and his strong goal-scoring form.

When he joined the club in 2024, he was someone that certainly had the potential to produce what he has, but there was still a big question mark due to his difficulties over several seasons with various clubs.

Things hadn’t worked out for him since Middlesbrough a long time before, so the hope was a drop down to League One would help him to rediscover some form.

At first, it seemed as if that wasn’t going to be the case, and his time in Tangerine would follow the same script as his time with the likes of Wigan Athletic and Sheffield Wednesday.

The story goes that a chat with Steve Bruce and a weekend off was the spark he needed to get things back on track, and he’s not really looked back since.

He was certainly surprised when he picked up the player of the season award last year, but it was testament to the journey he had been on and a reward for the hard work he’d put in.

If Bruce got Fletcher feeling confident again, then Ian Evatt has helped him to a whole new level.

The forward helped Blackpool to some big points in and around Christmas in particular, and to score 21 goals in a struggling side in an achievement in itself.

For so long the Seasiders were without Niall Ennis and Dale Taylor, so there was extra pressure on Fletcher and Tom Bloxham to be on the top of their games.

In a season where so many players have been injured, the pair battled hard week in, week out for several months.

While from the December period and the recent run of form there are several players who can be picked out, those snippets have just been too short.

For Fletcher, he turned up consistently and played his best, even when others weren’t in the tough times, and that’s why he’s head and shoulders above the rest.

He’s not been involved as much in the last few weeks due to a minor knock and other options being back, but he’s the one that did the ground work to ensure there was a platform for survival and he fully deserves a break now.

A top figure both on and off the pitch - it’s a no-brainer to quickly activate his one year option and offer him a new deal for a further 12 months after that.

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